by Philip Glenn
"Giants are not what we think they are. The same qualities that appear to give them strength are often the sources of great weakness. And the fact of being an underdog can change people in ways that we often fail to appreciate....The act of facing overwhelming odds produces greatness and beauty" - Malcolm Gladwell
As an entrepreneur, I embrace the sentiment above from Malcolm Gladwell. Every meaningful endeavor requires us to exercise certain levels of risk and overcome odds that sway heavily in the other direction. I have found there are ways to increase our "luck" and abilities to overcome these giants. It is to focus on the factors we can change and believe these factors are capable of equipping us for the challenges ahead. We work, we sweat, and we pour ourselves into our work so that we are better prepared with each approaching day.
In this effort to improve our "luck," I have found two exceptional truths. No one accomplishes anything great alone and the pursuit of individual learning and growth are essential to adapting and meeting the challenges of an ever changing world. Essentially, being "people first" is fundamental for overcoming the greatest odds. There are givers and takers, and those who give well and collaborate with others create lasting relationships and find doors of opportunity where they never thought possible. Lastly, preparation is the greatest metric for success. Why would anyone neglect to incorporate this into their own self-development and learning? Underdogs
understand their need for preparation and those that overcome the greatest giants understand their gaps in knowledge and seek to prepare themselves in every possible way.
In every meaning endeavor, it is important to find the best way to be useful, find purpose, help others to do the same, and never stop growing, creating, learning, and putting yourself out there. When you do, you grow in influence, experience greatness and beauty, and find greater purpose beyond yourself.
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